Coiling and nesting device for flexible strip material



Nov. 5, 1940.

K. .M. FR'rr-rs 2,220,481

COILING AND NESTI NG DEVICE FOR FLEXIBLE STRIP MATERIAL Filed March 25,1938 INVENTOR.

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Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES COILING AND NESTING DEVICE FOR FLEX-IBLE STRIP MATERIAL Kenneth M. Fritts, Franklin, Pa, assignor to JoyFastener Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 25,1938, Serial No. 198,085

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the handling of flexible strip-like materialand more particularly to devices for coiling and nesting flexiblecoilable strip-like material.

An object of this invention is to produce improved means for coiling andnesting intermittently moving flexible strip material.

Another object is to produce means for coiling and nesting within arotating container a moving strip of flexible material and in utilizingthe strip itself as the agent for rotating the container.

A still further object is to produce means for so coiling and nesting astrip of flexible material within a container that such strip whencoiled may be readily uncoiled by means of a machine in which the stripis to be used or further processed.

A still further object is to produce a simple and improved device forautomatically coiling and nesting a moving strip of flexible stripmaterial.

These, as well as other objects, I attain by the means described in thespecification and illustrated in the drawing accompanying and formingpart of this application.

Since the coiler of this invention is designed to coil and nest flexiblestrip material delivered to it by some machine or apparatus, I haveillustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings the coiler as forming part ofwhat may be termed an organized apparatus for processing flexible stripmaterial. In this view, the processing machine which is a well knowntype of punch or press, is shown in front elevation. Combined with thismachine and also shown in front elevation; is a rotatably mountedcontainer for holding nested coils of flexible strip-like material to beprocessed by said machine; such material is shownpassing from thecontainer to the machine. The coiler of this invention, as part of theapparatus, is receiving processed strip from the machine and is shownpartially in front elevation and partially in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the container for the supply of flexiblematerial;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the coiler of this invention with part ofthe strip guide thereof broken away; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in elevation andpartially in section of the support and bearing for the coiler containerof this invention.

The coiler and nester of this invention is adapted to the coiling of anystrip-like flexible and coilable material such aswire or other metallicstrip. 7

The coiler broadly consists of a circular panlike container orreceptacle mounted for easy rotation about a vertical axis and isprovided with a horizontal bottom and 'a' vertically ex-- tending sideor surrounding wall; a strip feeding mechanism and means for guiding themoving strip into the container and into contact with the inner surfaceof its sidewall or previously coiled strip and at such anangle to saidwall or strip coil that a tangential force is exerted, causing thecontainer to rotate and the strip to coil and nest-therein.

For the purposes'of illustration, but without any thought of limitingthis invention, I have depicted the same as forming part of theorganized apparatus consisting of a standard type of punch or press 5, acontainer or holder 6 for a coiled supply 1 of strip material'8 to beacted upon by the punch or press and the container 9 and guide ID ofthis invention-for receiving,- coiling and nesting strip ll after it isprocessed by said punch or press. The punch or press as is usual isequipped with a strip feeding device 5 12 arranged to move the striptherethrough intermittently or in a'step by step manner.

This coiler has been. found highly successful in coiling and nestingmetallic strip used inthe manufacture of slide fastener elements and for30 that reason punch or press 5 is one such as may be utilized in themanufacture of stock strips of such elements. I

The strip feeding device l2' Which in this instance is part of the punchor press, is operated 35 from the main shaft of such machine so that ateach upstroke of its punches, strip 8 will be 'advanced a certaindistance. I

The pan-likereceptacle or container of the coiler and nester 9 ispreferably constructed from relatively light sheet metal (preferablyaluminum) and is provided with a horizontally disposed bottom l3 and avertical side or surrounding wall M. The container therefore takes theform of a cylindrical pan. Its bottom at its center is provided with adepending cylindrically formed block l5 (Fig. 4) which serves as a holddown and as a centering member. This member is of such diameter as tofit loosely within annular races l6 and ll of a roller or other anti- 50friction bearing carried by a support member l8. Support member I8 iscarried on the upper end of a section of pipe l9 which with a basemember 20 forms the stand of the coiler. A set screw 2| holds supportmember l8 in place.

While an antifriction bearing employing rollers 22 is illustrated inFigure 4, it will be understood that any other suitable type ofantifriction bearing may be utilized instead of the type shown. Bymaking the container of light weight and by mounting the same on anantifriction hearing so that it may be easily rotated about its verticalaxis, I provide a receptacle or container which can be rotated by thestrip itself even though the strip be extremely small in transversesection or of fragile construction. shown of tubular construction with aflaring inlet 23 is supported in position by a support arm 24 which issecured to and extends upwardly from support member [8.

As will be seen from Figures 1 and 3, tubular guide I directs the stripH as it moves from the punch or press downwardly into the open top ofcontainer 9 and into contact with the inner peripheral surface ofvertically extending side wall M. The tangential force exerted by themoving strip causes the container to rotate and the strip to coil andnest within the container as will be readily understood.

. The peripheral speed of the container will about equal the speed oftravel of the strip. It will be understood that when the strip movesincontactwith the inner surface of vertical wall [4 these speeds will bethe same and that as the coils build up within the container theperipheral speed of the container will increase slightly.

Since the moving strip constitutes the power for rotating the container,it will be seen that the strip will automatically coil and nest withinthe container as the same rotates.

While strip 8 may be fed to the strip feed device (in this instance .thestrip feeding device 12 of the punch or press 5) from any type of coilsupport or container, container 6 is preferably of the same constructionas container 9 and is preferably mounted in the same manner upon asuitable anti-f-riction bearing. Arm 2| which ex.- tends upwardly fromits support block I8 preferably carries a ring-like guide 25 having anopening 26 in its outer side by means of which strip 8 may be readilyinserted or removed therefrom when desired.

It Will be understood that the position of guide 10 may be varied fromthe position shown so long as the position chosen is one that will causethe strip to contact with the inner surface of the side wall of thecontainer at a position such that the moving strip will be effectiveinrotating the container.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patcut is:

1. The combination with means for intermittently feeding coilablemetallic strip, of a su-p- Guide I 0 which is" porting member, acontainer mounted on an antifriction bearing carried by said supportingmember and for rotation about a vertical axis, said container having ahorizontally disposed bottom and a vertically disposed side wall, aguide for directing the material into contact with the inner peripheralsurface of said side wall and at an angle such as to cause the containerto be rotated by' said strip whereby the material is coiled and nestedwithin the container, and an arm connected to said supporting member andextending over said container for supporting said guide.

2. In combination with means for feeding coilable metallic strip, asupporting pedestal, a container mounted on said pedestal for rotationabout'a vertical axis and having an open top, a horizontally disposedbottom and a vertically disposed sidewall, an arm secured .to saidpedestal and extending over the top of said container, and a tubularguide carried by said arm and arranged to direct. the materialdownwardly into said container at an angle to the side wall thereof sothat said strip will exert a tangential force on said wall whereby thecontainer is caused to rotate and the strip to coil and nest therein.

. 3. The combination with means for feeding strip metal, of means forrotatably supporting a. coil of such material, a supporting member, acontainer mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on said supportingmember and having a horizontally disposed bottom and a verticallydisposed side wall, a tubular guide for directing the strip into contactwith the inner surface of the side wall and at such an angle to the pathof travel thereof that the container is rotated by the strip and thestrip during such rotation is coiled and nested therein, and an arm,connected to said supporting member and supporting said tubular guide.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of apedestal, a supporting member carried by said pedestal, and having asocket at its upper end, a substantially cylindrical panshaped containerhaving a closed bottom and an open top, a cylindrical shaped blockdepending from the center of the bottom of said container and adapted tobe received within the socket of said supporting member, means forieeding coilable strip material and a tubular guide member carried bysaid support for directing the strip material downwardly into the opentop of said container, said guide member being positioned at such anangle to the wall :of the container so that the strip being fedtherethrough willimpinge-against the side wall of the container and ifexert a tangential force thereto whereby the container is rotated andthe strip is coiled and nested therein.

- KENNETH M. FRITTS.

